1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to batteries and battery manufacturing machines. More particularly, the invention relates to a lug brushing assembly that brushes the lugs on individual battery plates before they are connected to form a battery.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional lead-acid batteries include a plurality of battery plates placed in a housing, each having a battery lug extending therefrom. The lugs are typically welded to cast-on straps which are in turn connected to terminals extending from the housing. Lead oxide and other contaminants, which often accumulate on battery plate lugs during manufacture of the plates, impedes welding of the lugs. Therefore, it is desirable to brush the excess lead oxide off the lugs before they are welded together.
A significant limitation of prior art lug brushing or cleaning assemblies is that they are stand-alone devices that brush the lugs on battery plates separate from other battery plate handling stations. These prior art assemblies therefore require additional plate handling procedures that increase the costs and time associated with the manufacture of batteries.
Another limitation of prior art lug brushing assemblies is that they typically include stacked pairs of counter rotating brushes that are spaced closely together to define a nip region therebetween. Battery plate lugs are passed through the nip region so that one brush cleans the top of the lugs and the other brush simultaneously cleans the bottom of the lugs. Unfortunately, this arrangement causes premature wearing of the brushes and excessive abrasion on the lugs because the lugs are squeezed or sandwiched between the rotating brushes as they are cleaned.
The present invention solves the above-described problems and provides a distinct advance in the art of lug brushing assemblies. More particularly, the present invention provides an improved lug brushing assembly that brushes the lugs of battery plates in an in-line manner so as to eliminate extra battery plate handling procedures. Moreover, the lug brushing assembly of the present invention more effectively cleans the lugs of battery plates without causing excessive wearing of the brushes or abrasion on the lugs.
The lug brushing assembly is preferably configured for placement between a plate enveloper and a plate stacker so that it cleans the lugs on battery plates after they have been enveloped in insulation but before they are stacked for placement in battery housings. The lug brushing assembly, the plate enveloper, and the plate stacker together with possibly other components make up an overall plate handling apparatus used in the manufacture of battery plates and batteries.
The preferred lug brushing assembly includes a plurality of upper lug brushes, a plurality of lower lug brushes, a drive assembly, and a rocker assembly. The upper lug brushes brush the top sides of the lugs on battery plates as they pass through the assembly, and the lower lug brushes brush the bottom sides of the lugs. The drive assembly rotates the upper and lower lug brushes, and the rocker assembly reciprocates the brushes up and down so that the brushes briefly contact the lugs as the battery plates pass thereby. The drive assembly preferably delivers the battery plates to the lug brushes in a trailing fashion so that the lugs on the battery plates initially extend away from the lug brushes as the battery plates enter the lug brushing assembly.
These and other important aspects of the present invention are described more fully in the detailed description below.